According to the liner notes to the compilation cd Time3 of Journey they were first. Kansas were touring with them at the time and heard them play this song every night, so they decided to “borrow” the riff. Could make sense. Any way, this riff produced two excellent songs!

Let’s see…Journey’s album released in JANUARY 1976. Kansas released in DECEMBER 1976. This is a no-brainer! Kansas completely and totally ripped that one off. Then again, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery! Journey’s album was recorded in late ’75, and Kansas’ not until mid ’76, several months after the release of Look Into The Future.

On the contrary the Kansas LP was actually recorded in Dec.1975 at the home studio of Kerry Livgren. Besides it seems the whole Journey song is about the ” Riff” in question while the Kansas song only uses it sparingly. The Kansas song is more refined anyway also got more airplay as well. Besides it wasn’t until Journey hired Steve Perry (Who wrote or co-wrote most of their hits) that they became popular.

The Leftoverture album was recorded in the summer of ’76. Writing didn’t even begin until the late Spring of that year, after Kansas and Journey had toured together (imagine that) behind Kansas’ 1975 album Masque (released in September of that year) and Journey’s album Look Into The Future. It’s quite obvious where Kansas got what you call a “riff”. That being said, it’s much more than a “riff”, though as obviously not a musician you don’t know about that. And for “refined”, you seem to mean lyrics/vocals. That doesn’t make a song “refined”. And yes, the addition of Perry and the move to pop rock gained success, and with Cain’s writing became superstars, but that is irrelevant in this discussion.

Using a one-riff comparison to rip an entire song or number shows how little we know about what goes on in the music industry. Kansas was about to be dropped by the Kirshner label (after three totally original releases) for failing to chart on Billboard.

Seven out of eight tracks (totally original) were already recorded. One more song was needed to fill the eight-number requirement LP vynil. Kerry had all of the creative pressure on him, since Steve wasn’t able to churn out lyrics.

Finally (In Bogaloosa, LA) The band turned to Kerry and said,”What do you have?”. Kerry pulled out this one song, origionally to stick at the end, and the band loved it. It became the lead track. In those days, label pressure on talent was extream. You don’t want to know!

What most people don’t realize is that many of the production staff are former musicians and song writers. Even “The Doors ‘Light My Fire'” was not written entirely by the band. A producer, who was a former musician, wrote the opening movement for Ray.

I have heard both “Carry On…” and “I’m Gonna Leave You.” Both riffs were similar variants, but NOT exact copies! I used to hear “April Wine” get ripped for “I Like To Rock” for copying both a “Beatles” and a “Rolling Stones” riff at the end of that song. All they were doing was paying respect to their idols.